Waiting For The Adoption
Pr Edi Giudetti
15-09-2019
Waiting For the Sons of God
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Romans 8:19-20
The days of creation had come and gone, and the purpose creation itself had the breath of life breathed into him by the living God. Each day of the creation account was particular in its detail, each day vital and each day pronounced as “good” by the one who spoke them into existence.
Five days had gone by.
Space and matter was formed, and was preceded at the first by light. On the third day vegetation on the Earth that we discovered was nourished by a mist that arose from the earth itself. Scripture teaches that there were waters both under the earth and above the earth, all of this vastly different from the day we live in today. There was no rain at the time, nor was there rain until the day that Noah entered into the ark. Nevertheless, this third day too was blessed by the Lord. And pronounced as “good”.
The fourth day two great lights were created, the sun to rule by day and the moon to rule by night. Almost making a mockery of the evolutionary considerations of photosynthesis, God wanted to make sure it was known that it would be he that created and do so in the manner he prescribed, for in the end of that forth day, he again pronounced it Good.
O, and he made the stars also!
The fifth day the waters were brought forth, the fish of the sea and the foul of the air, the creature producing life as it had not ever since the Earth began….well…four days earlier. Life was blooming, flowers blooming, birds flying and fish in abundance, all of which being nourished in the manner determined by the Lord and it was yet another “good day”.
To these creatures
… God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. 23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
Well, the five days had gone by and the morning of the sixth day approaches. Living creatures were spoken into existence, every beast of the earth and every creeping thing, all came to be after his kind and only after his own kind. By now everything that would give life to every other creature on earth has been created but one.
I would say to you that he left the best for last, but I would not be accurate.
I would say to you that God had waited to put the pinnacle of his creation in its proper place, like the cherry on the cake…but again, I would not be accurate.
The world today sees man as the problem of creation, but God had man as the very purpose of creation. He is not the best of it, nor the pinnacle of it, man is the purpose for it.
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in hisownimage, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Gen 1:26-28)
It seems almost that here also, all creation Waited for the appearance of those created in God likeness.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Our passage in Romans seems to have a precursor to it.
All that needed to be put in place was put in place, God preparing a place for man prior to taking man and putting him in his mansion, the garden. Seems there was another precursor.
We don’t know when it happened exactly though. The heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them, And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
It was some time after that, we don’t know when exactly. God had already told Adam directly of the conditions of his existence “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
The man was given work to be undertaken, the naming of the creatures of creation. He was to keep the garden, but yet there was no suitable ‘help-meet’ for him found. Taken from the side of man, a part of man, yea “bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh”, Adam called her Woman because she was taken out of man.But exactly when this happened, we don’t know.
Up until this time, and even a little after that, Man and Woman and all of creation lived in perfect unity with their creator. Walking in the cool of the day, Adam spoke to the Lord. Fellowship was had between them and everything was very good.
In the heavens however, iniquity was discovered in within one of Gods creatures. Exactly when Lucifer became Satan, we do not know, scripture does not reveal it to us. Nevertheless, Creation itself remained unchanged as a whole. This was not yet man’s fall, but Satan’s.
‘The creature’ was not created for the existence of the angels, but for the existence of those created in the image of God. Therefore, the creature itself was not subject to itself, but subject to that for which it was created!
But we discover in verse 20 of our text that;
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
The explanation of this is better understood in light of verse 21, but first we need to understand what made it “subject to vanity”, it was not subject to vanity willingly.
The creature (All of creation) desired to have its existence in the support of that for which it was created, for man! Beloved creation experienced the fall because its end purpose was man. When man fell so too creation.
Let me go on as I try to explain.
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Notice the serpent giving his address in the plural form of the pronoun, even though addressing the woman.Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Well the deception began with creating doubt in the words of God that were past on to Eve by Adam, and ending with;
And when the woman saw that the treewasgood for food, and that itwaspleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to makeonewise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Something terrible had changed.
Man was found now to be naked, without covering.
We have no idea as to what extent man was clothed upon before, but we cannot make the claim of ignorance to it, only that now shame had taken hold of man so much so that he would clothe himself with that which cannot cover him.
Death finally came into the world. It was not as many think, by the hand of Cain against his bother, but it was first by the hand of God as he clothed the nakedness of the purpose for his creation, as he clothed man.
It was fittingly the first death of innocent bloodthat would be shown to be that which God ordained suitable to cover man, and in time to come, to cover the sin of man.
We now live in a world that is both post flood and post fall. We are as far removed from that first creature as we can be. We have no idea what this world, or even its geography was like before the fall. What we do know is that everything changed.
Rather than the Earth bringing forth its fruit freely, now it was cursed and man, by the sweat of his brow, would work to bring it forth.
Rather than abundance of fruit, thorns and thistles would be the natural fruit of the land, and toil the work to remove it.
Whatever had been before, was now found to be corrupt and in bondage to the curse of the fall and would be so waitingfor the manifestation of the sons of God.
What precisely is it waiting for?
Waiting For The Glorious Liberty
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Our text here indicates in every way that the creature, that is, all of creation, is to be delivered. Delivered from what?
delivered from the bondage of corruption
It is evident in the text that the creature itself is subject to vanity, that it, like mankind, is in bondage and that bondage is described as that which is completely corrupt from that which was originally created and proclaimed as “GOOD”, even, “VERY GOOD” by its creator.
How has this happened?
How can it be that the creation itself has been affected by the fall of man?
You are upset because you are found born into the sin of an original sin you did not personally commit, what shall we say of all of creation who was made unwillingly subject to man?
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Beloved, though it seems strange to us with our limited understanding of the reason of both why and how, we cannot deny that the scriptures teach all of creation was affected by the fall of mankind.
God claims the Earth to be cursed by the fall of man.
The animals of the Earth, once unafraid of man, had the fear and the dread of man come upon them.
Leviticus 18:25 speaks of the land itself being defiled because of the iniquity that is upon it.
Many of the laws of Israel, particularly that respecting sin of man, has the land cursed as a result of it.
How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end. (Jer 12:4)
In Chapter 23:10 Jeremiah says;
For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their forceisnot right
Many are the scriptures that speak of the effect of sin even upon creation itself.
Historically, the entire geography of the planet was altered by the flood that came upon it BECAUSE OF THE SIN OF MAN!
Turn to Isaiah 24:20-23
The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again. 21 And it shall come to pass in that day,thatthe LORD shall punish the host of the high onesthat areon high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth. 22 And they shall be gathered together,asprisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited. 23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.
All of creation is waiting for the glorious liberty of the sons of God.
Because all of creation groan and travails in pain together due to the sin of mankind and awaiting the adoption.
It is interesting don’t you think?
It often strikes me as an irony that the godless culture of the world seems to see man as the problem of the planet, even affecting the weather patterns of the planet.
They teach that man is a virus and affecting all of creation.
- Sadly, they think curbing carbon dioxide will help better than curbing sin!
- Limiting the population of man rather than limiting the sin of the population.
- Forcing man to worship the creation rather than the creator he has truly sinned against.
There seems to be a partial knowledge of the problem, but a complete incomprehension of the solution.
No,
… the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
It shall not only be we ourselves that shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, but also the creature.
There is a liberty that is coming beloved, it is one that we ourselves groan with all creation until it come to pass. This body of ours does suffer, For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Waiting In Travail
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
We ask why it is we go through the things we go through. We wonder at its purpose, we see the world and its trials and we are perplexed that we ourselves are not yet perfect having the Spirit of God.
We have been given the first fruits of the Spirit, he is known to be to us the Earnest of our inheritance, and there is a joy in our salvation that should be made manifest to all the world. But we still long for something better, something we know is still coming.
We yearn and we groan knowing that.
- Even though our soul is redeemed,
- and our Spirit it reconciled,
- our bodies do not yet manifest the glorious liberty we have inherited.
- So there is a groaning and travail within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
We are essentially Waiting In Travail.
I can’t think of a better example than that of a woman who’s body has undergone the incredible miracle of change, knowing that another life is bound within her.
Such joy it is to know a child is coming.
I remember when Maria gave me the news of our first child. I only wish I have written down the detail of the excitement that I had. The complete change that it made in me, the sheer joy that can only be understood when there is this expectation of the result of a miracle.
I am going to add to me a life created by the joining of me and my wife! What a miracle!
What an expectant joy that is.
But if there is anyone who can understand the changes that occur in the flesh with such good news, there is none better than the woman.
We who are saved, have the spirit of the living God within us and it brings us joy.
She has a new life that is every bit a part of her, literally growing within her, and it brings her great joy.
We who are saved, struggle and wrestle with discomfort for the change that has come upon us, looking for and desiring above anything else to be delivered.
She has within her another to care for and the changes to her body and life are substantial. The longer the time goes on, the more discomfort she feels, longing to be delivered.
As the days go on, we who are saved travail even greater, longing for the appearing of Christ, knowing that the time is at hand. The creation too, groaneth and travaileth in pain togetheruntil the consummation of all things. The only thing that gives us hope is knowing that we will appear with redeemed bodies soon.
She comes to the last week and days of her time and the discomfort is heightened, Sleep fleas from her, discomfort walking, sitting, laying down. And as it nears to the time to be delivered, pain grips her in waves. The only thing that gives her hope and joy is that a man-child will appear, and all her pain is forgotten for that sake of her child.
The suffering of that present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that is revealed when that wonderful child comes into the world.
As a woman, and especially as a mother, you of all people physically experience that which every Christian longs for spiritually. You are the truest picture of what all Christians are to look forward to, in hope.
Waiting In Hope
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
There is found in scripture and in logic an undividable link between both faith and hope. Not least of which are those that remain to the end as described in 1 Cor 13:13
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of theseischarity.
It is the object of hope that faith has as its trust in.
We believe by Faith because we trust in that which is hoped for.
In other words, we must first believe some good end to be true before we can have practical hope that is exercised by our faith in it.
The woman believes by faith that she shall be delivered of a Child. That Child is the ‘good end’ or the object of her hope that she trusts will be born to her.
It is the evidence not yet seen.
Turn to Hebrews Chapter 11.
The entire chapter is known as the Faith Chapter. Consider the first two verses.
1Now faith is the substanceof things hoped for, the evidenceof things not seen. 2 For by it (by what? By faith) the elders obtained a good report.
Right here we see an example of the link between faith and hope. Both are different, one is the substance, the other is the object.
Turn back to Romans 5:1-5
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hopeof the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Note here that HOPE is the end goalof these trials, the trials themselves kindle hope when the Hope of God is in you. This Hope is what we are waiting for!
The passage from which our Church is named in Romans 15, has as its purpose to encourage one another, “bearing the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves”, verse 4 says
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Hope in what? Hope in that which is to come, the hope we are waiting for.
It is that learning, and the sufferings spoken of in our very text of Romans 8 that are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us, that also agrees again there in Romans 5;
we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
But our last part of the passage says;
but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Hope in scripture is not a “hope so” hope.
Hope in scripture is a certain looking for that which is promised.
In homes of the elderly I had asked people if they will be in heaven when they died. Most said “I hope so”. This is the “hope so” hope most people equate with the scriptures here. But that is not the hope referred to.
We used the example of the expectant mother. To her, all the signs of the reality of the child in her womb are present.
Evident is that seen outwardly.
But even more so, evident is that experienced inwardly.
Yet the child is not seen. for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Butthe tribulations and patience and the experience she endures, she knows with confidence that which will come at the end.
knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
We don’t yet see, but we certainly see all the evidence within our own shared experiences and what the Bible explains concerning it.
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
This is why the Bible encourages us to spend time together, to join with one another, to learn from the word of God and from one another. And especially as we see the day approaching.
Turn to Hebrews 10:23 as we close this morning.
Let us hold fast the profession of ourfaith without wavering; (for heisfaithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of someis; but exhortingone another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Beloved, we are all awaiting the adoption. Together with all creation we groan and we travail until that manifestation of the sons of God, to wit, the redemption of our bodies. Each one of us have shared experiences, each one of us have a shared hope. Talking of those experiences and of that hope encourages us greatly to live for the Lord and to attend more diligently to those things that matter most. To give ourselves as a living sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel of Christ.
To spend and to be spent for the eternal life of those who are lost.
To exhaust ourselves for the sake of the Gospel.
To know the work and be diligent
To be strengthened through trials and to fight the good fight.
When we fall, we get up again knowing who it is that sustains us.
To live by faith and not by sight
To trust him at his word and just watch him work in that!!!!
Be diligent in your decisions, be willing to stand by faith in that which is plain to see in scripture.
Finally, encourage one another.
All of us will be week at times and others strong, lets bear each others burdens and also know that if we fail, Christ will not. His strength is seen when those who are his at their weakest.
His grace is sufficient, his burden is easy, and his yoke is light.
You have a hope to look forward to, together with all of creation, wait for it!
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